


won't someone answer my s.o.s?

by Tatsumaki_sama



Series: cross your heart and hope to die [2]
Category: Persona 5, Persona Series
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Magical Realism, Friendship, Gen, Light Angst, Magical Realism, Male Friendship, Protectiveness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-15
Updated: 2018-05-15
Packaged: 2019-05-07 11:49:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,686
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14670474
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tatsumaki_sama/pseuds/Tatsumaki_sama
Summary: A hacker called Alibaba makes contact with Joker. Joker consults Mishima and Sojiro about it.





	won't someone answer my s.o.s?

**Author's Note:**

> I thought I reveal a few more tidbits about Joker here without giving away too much. He is certainly not all-knowing and things can catch him off guard. Note that he doesn't have a phone here so some changes were made to align with canon. I also wanted to show the different dynamics of the Confidants since they know he is the Phantom Thief. 
> 
> As a heads up, most of these stories won't be written in chronological order, just whatever tickles my muse.

 

Joker was already sitting on the wooden fence by the time Mishima arrived. The faint moonbeams flitted between the trees cast the Phantom Thief in a ghostly light. He appeared as mysterious and magical as when Mishima first met him.

 

He inclined his head in greeting as Mishima approached. “ Isn't it a little late to be meeting like this?” Joker teased. “ Don't you have school tomorrow?”

 

With Kamoshida suspended indefinitely, his free time had opened up considerably and Mishima dedicated his time and energy towards the Phantom Aficionado website.

 

He started the site as a means of thanking Joker for what he did (he could never repay Joker enough for changing Kamoshida's heart; he gladly gave his soul to Joker to stop others like Kamoshida, to Joker's surprise). He had set up polls and message boards and hundreds of people quickly flocked towards the site. Some were simply curious about the Phantom Thief. Others even posted requests for people they wanted their hearts to change. Then there were a fair number who simply mocked that the urban legend was even real.

 

Joker himself was amused by the site. He never went out of his way to regularly fulfill requests, though from time to time, he showed some interest about certain requests.

 

But lately, with Medjed making the news, more confrontations and even death threats had been making its way through the site. The polls for the Phantom Thief was steadily dropping, to Mishima's dismay.

 

However, this was not the reason why he wanted to meet with Joker tonight.

 

“ Someone sent me a private message on the Phan-site this morning. I think you should look at it.” He held out his laptop.

 

Curious, Joker leaned forward to read across the screen.

 

_Nice to meet you, Yuuki Mishima. I am the one they call Alibaba. I heard that you are in contact with the Phantom Thief, are you not? One he might even call an accomplice?_

 

_Is it true the Phantom Thief can really steal hearts? I have someone whose heart I would like him to steal for me. If you do so, I won't report you to the police._

 

Mishima watched for Joker's reaction. Other than a slight tilt of his head, Joker remained impassive. “ Oh?” he said cryptically.

 

“ I've never seen a hacker of this magnitude,” Mishima said in wonder. “ To think they were able to discover my name and that we are in contact.”

 

“ Those kinds of people are hard to come by,” Joker absently said.

 

“ I mean, how was he able to do that?” he doggedly continued, a little concerned that Joker seemed to not care. “ Could Alibaba be related to Medjed? They've been all over the news recently, making statements against you.”

 

“ It's a possibility, but I would like to hear directly from this Alibaba person first. Did he say when he will contact you?”

 

Mishima shook his head. “ Unfortunately, no. Who knows when – ?”

 

He broke off as his website buzzed and a chat box opened to reveal a message.

 

_Have you considered my proposal? Did you manage to find the Phantom Thief yet? If not, the police will be notified of your connection with the Phantom Thief._

 

“ I – I don't believe it. It's him! It's Alibaba!”

 

“ Let him know I'm here,” Joker said. His eyes glinted in amusement. “ Let's see what he has to say.”

 

Mishima did so, fingers flying through his keyboard to obey.

 

_I thought the best way to reach you is through one of your associates. Now then, to business._

 

The message chat flickered and a calling card, with a hastily stamped black words _take your heart_ , was attached.

 

_There you go. Here is your calling card. It's been said you can steal a heart as long as you send a calling card._

 

_So get to it._

 

“ Where has he been getting this information?” Mishima muttered.

 

“ Say that is not true. I'll need a name,” Joker said, unperturbed.

 

There was clearly hesitation on Alibaba's part who was reluctant to give a straight answer until finally –

 

_Their name is ... Futaba Sakura._

 

Joker's eyebrows rose. “ ... Sakura, hmm?”

 

Mishima looked up at Joker's contemplative tone. “ Do you recognize that person?”

 

Joker tapped a gloved finger to his chin. “ Perhaps,” was all he would say about that. “ Tell Alibaba we need to meet up first,” he shrugged. “ Conditions have to be met before I can change a person's heart anyways.”

 

Dutifully typing in the message, Mishima was suddenly met with resistance.

 

_Meet? With me? That will be difficult. This is why I contacted you like this. I have my reasons for not being able to go out._

 

“ Reasons for not being able to go out?” Mishima repeated in confusion.

 

_Hold on._

 

The typed messages on Alibaba's end became more frenzied and rapid.

 

_I'm thinking._

 

_Okay._

 

_This is a shame._

 

_I'm calling it off._

 

_Forget looking into Futaba Sakura._

 

_The deal is off._

 

“ W-wait, what?” Mishima exclaimed.

 

Joker was silent.

 

_Forget this ever happened. I won't bother you anymore. I won't report you to the police either. Sorry for taking your time._

 

No sooner than Mishima hastily trying to ask Alibaba what was going on, there was only an error message flashing across the chat box.

 

Alibaba was gone.

 

“ Interesting,” Joker said thoughtfully.

 

~.~.~

 

Sojiro would have loved nothing more than to take Sae Nijima's business card and rip it up to shreds, even as the woman left LeBlanc.

 

He was even considering sanitizing every square inch of where Sae Nijima stood in his cafe when a voice spoke up.

 

“ Rough night?”

 

Startled, Sojiro spun around, dropping his washcloth on the floor, because sitting in one of his bar stools like he owned the place was Joker.

 

“ Have some pity on an old man's heart, will you?” he scowled, attempting to control his breathing.

 

Joker smiled but didn't apologize. “ Who was that?”

 

His eyes flicked towards the closed door.

 

The bitterness in Sojiro's mouth still hadn't left completely yet. “ She's just a troublesome customer,” he shrugged. “ No need to worry.”

 

He had no intention of bothering Joker with something as trivial as this. From the way Joker said nothing else, he knew better than to press the issue.

 

“ Here, let me prepare some coffee.” Sojiro didn't even wait for a reply as he began grabbing cups.

 

“ We both know I can't drink it.”

 

Joker's voice was soft, almost forlorn.

 

That slight tone of melancholy was nearly unbearable for Sojiro who was not a fan of emotional things. “ Who said it was for you? I need something after dealing with that woman,” he gruffly said.

 

“ Either way, I always enjoy the coffee you make. It always smells the nicest.” Joker smiled sadly.

 

How cruel it must be, to have something so tantalizingly close and yet be unable to have it.

 

Sojiro coughed. “ What brings you here, anyways? You look thinner than the last time I saw you. I've been watching the news. That's three hearts you've stolen in the last few months. You better not be running yourself ragged, you hear me?”

 

Joker smiled obligingly but did not giving an answer. Sojiro expected as much anyways. Joker was not one to indulge in his activities or personal matters. Something in common that Sojiro shared with the Phantom Thief.

 

“ Something caught my attention today.” Joker's gloved finger tapped and smoothed over a napkin casually. “ I want to meet Futaba Sakura.”

 

Sojiro nearly choked. “ Where did you – how did you find out – What does she have to do with anything?”

 

“ I was asked by someone to change her heart,” Joker shrugged, his ever perceptive eyes never leaving Sojiro.

 

“ Why would anyone ask that? She hasn't left – ”

 

He managed to catch himself in time.

 

Joker continued watching him intently.

 

It was a test, Sojiro realized too late, to gauge his response at the name. The name Futaba Sakura had originally meant nothing to Joker. But Sojiro's answer was very much the reaction Joker was waiting for.

 

Sojiro glared. He was far too old to be playing games with some creature that held his future in the palm of his hands.

 

(he made that deal to get out of that job, the same job he suspected that led to Wakaba's suicide; Futaba needed him and he needed her too so he had to leave without causing any suspicion and Joker was his only means to do so, even if it meant selling him his soul; it was worth it, Futaba was worth it)

 

“ Who?” he demanded. “ Was it Sae Nijima? Did she tip you off?”

 

“ That's the interesting part.” Joker's slender fingers folded amongst themselves as he leaned his chin against them, surveying Sojiro with an unnatural catlike grace. “ Whoever it was, they called it off suddenly after taking the time and effort to contact me. I wonder why.”

 

Sojiro frowned. He was as baffled as Joker about that. He trusted Sae Nijima as far as he could throw her. If she was attempting to use Joker to get to Futaba and him ...

 

“ Well, doesn't matter who it is. Don't make any deals with them. They're only up to no good.”

 

Joker hummed, not giving an answer.

 

He then stood up with such fluidity and finesse that Sojiro would have killed to have in his youth. “ Thank you for this enlightening conversation. Hope you enjoy the rest of your evening.”

 

“ Hey, wait a minute!” Sojiro spluttered, caught off guard. He could see the wheels turning in Joker's head. “ This doesn't involve you. You better not go looking for trouble.”

 

“ Trouble usually finds me first,” Joker smirked.

 

If that was supposed to reassure Sojiro, it didn't.

 

“ About Futaba ...”

 

He hated the way he sounded like he was imploring.

 

“ Don't worry,” Joker earnestly said. “ You are, after all, one of my own.” His eyes displayed a certain fondness and Sojiro wasn't sure whether he should feel flattered or alarmed by that.

 

Which was why Sojiro couldn't quite guess what he was planning.

 

“ Things certainly have gotten interesting lately,” Joker said, almost absently, more to himself than Sojiro.

 

And vanished before Sojiro could say another word.

 

'Interesting' was one way of putting it.

 


End file.
